Brake-beam strut



c. F. IIUIITOOIII.

BRAKE BEAM STRUT.

APPLICATION FILED Amma. I9I9.

CHARLES F. I-IUNTOON, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRAKE-BEAM STRUT.

Specification of Letters Patent. v

Patented May 18, 1920.

` Application led August 18, 1919. Serial No. 318,144.'

To all whom it may concern,-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. HUNTooN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake- Beam Struts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brake-beams and especially to brake-beam struts of the general character vshown in my copending application, Serial No. 313,739, filed July 28, 1919. l

'IIhe main objects of the invention are to provide an improved form' of strut and means for mounting same in the brakebeam; to provide an improved form of bearing tip for the strut and a non-loosening connection therefor at each end adapted to secure same permanently in snug-fitting operative relation to the compression and tension members respectively; to provide for unlimited turning ofthe strutv on its main axis for use at either end of the car; and to provide a riveted swivel connection for the strut ends adapted to provide positively for a definite minimum of working clearance, and adapted to prevent any substantial development of lost motion.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawin s, in whichigure 1 is a plan of the brake-beam except that one end is broken away and only the medial part of the brake-lever is shown, the ends being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, enlarged, and with the strut turned so that its bar pivot hole is parallel with the brakebeam.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the strut, as viewed from the lower side of Fig. 2.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the brake-beam 1 comprises a compres sion member 2, a tension member 3, and a strut 4 positioned centrally between said members. Said strut, for the purpose of ready adjustment as will be explained, is formed for pivotal support on end bearings or heads 5 and 6, the one being designed for engagement with the compression member 2 and the other for engagement with the tension member 3. The brake-lever 7 is mounted on the strut fulcrum pivot 8, as usual in such devices, said pivot being positioned centrally of the rotary barrel 9 of said strut.

The head 5 is formed With a stirrup-like outer end 10 adapted to receive the compression member 2, and the inner part is provided with a longitudinal cylindrical part 11 adapted to receive the correspondingly formed pivot end 12 of the strut 4'. The said part 11 is provided medially of its length with an annular rib or flange 13 adapted to interfit and coact with the ferrule-like spacer 14 having a flanged head 15 on its outer end. Said ferrule is secured to the adjacent end of strut 4 by means of a rivet 16 in swivel relation thereto, the transverse end wall 17 of said strut being axially perforated to receive said rivet. The length of the ferrule 14 between its inner end and flange 15 corresponds substantially ywith the thickness of rib 13 but with barely sufficient clearance to avoid clamping friction. In order to render the joints more rigid against bending, the head'5 is provided on its inner end with an outward bearing flange 18, and the strut 4 is provided with a corresponding annular bearing shoulder 19. r1`his bracing, in fact, is supplemented by similar intermediate shoulders vat 20.

A vsimilar swivel connection is provided at the opposite end of said strut Where the head 6 is provided with an inwardly disposed cylindrical part 21 adapted to receive the corresponding pivotal part 22 of said strut. Said head 6 is also provided with an inwardly projecting annular rib 23 similar to rib 13 for coaction With the ferrule 24, having a flange 25 overlying said rib 23. Said ferrule is secured permanently to the adjacent strut head by means of rivet 26 which extends through the perforated end wall 27 of said strut. Said ferrule 24 is also formed to provide bare turning clearance without any space for lost motion.

Stiifening means are also provided on this end of the strut, comprising coacting shoulders 28 and 29 on head 6 and strut 4 respectively.

In order to facilitate setting rivet 16, the outer wall of head 5 is apertured at 30. The head 5 is set tightly on the middle part of channel member 2 by means of a Wedge 31 one side of which bears against the inner side of the channel and the other side against the opposite edges of the head 5, which is correspondingly formed to prevent material movement of the wedge as by means of shoulders 32 on said head. Tip 3l locks the wedge in place.

The ends of' the compression and tension members 2 and 8 are formed to mutually engage and to be locked together by the brake-heads 33. The brake-beam may be assembled by threading the bar 2 through the head 5 afterthe strut has been secured to the heads. The ends of' the bars 2 and 3 may then be sprung into place and the brake-heads applied, as understood in the art.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of' this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a brake-beam, a pivotal strut and a fixed socketed bearing head therefor, said head having an annular bearing rib in its socket, and said strut being hollow and having a centrally apertured end wall, with shape with an inwardly disposed annular rib therein, in combination with a strut having a pivotal end formed to fit snugly in said aperture, and a ferrule secured coaxially to the tip of said end, said strut and ferrule having perforations disposed adjacently in alinement and a rivet therefor, said ferrule having a flange formed and adapted to overlie and engage said rib to,v

. ing with respect to said rib and head.

et. In a brake-beam, a rotary strut in combination with a pair of annularly shouldered stationary bearing heads, said strut having annularly shouldered ferrule-like means adapted to secure the pivotal ends of the strut in positively non-clamping swivel relation to said heads, and clamping means engaging said strut and ferrule-lile means to secure same in operative relation.

Signed at Chicago this 14th day of August 1919.

CHARLES F. I-IUNTOON. 

